...Reading some of the reviews attenuated my enthusiasm considerably. I don't shoot jpeg, ever, but DPR's comparison tool revealed some very nasty looking RAW samples, particularly - if unsurprisingly - at higher ISOs. Like 800. I know that this isn't a camera likely to generate huge amounts of interest on LL but I'd be interested to hear from users. My oh my, it's a cute little camera though...... One thing I didn't like was the absence of any inbuilt lens capping or (even worse) a lens hood: I don't usually use protection filters but even this is precluded, as supplied, unless you buy an overpriced accessory lens hood. This abominable and increasingly common practise is just a way of effectively increasing the camera's price and bumping up the profit margin.

Hi Roy, I've had the X20 for a little while now and since ACR and Aperture updated raw support, I find the raw files very usable. Although the noise level is a little higher than my m4/3 OMD at any given ISO, the lens seems to be so well matched up to the sensor that I spend less time in Photoshop fixing imaging issues.

Although the original lens cap takes a bit of getting used to, the add-on 52mm stepper ring and lens hood is worth the price. I often put a normal lens cap on a filter that I leave on the stepper ring without the hood. The only complaint I have is that the machining on the threads for mounting the hood is so fine (not inherently a bad thing), it tends do be hard to unscrew to change filters after a major temperture change. I was stuck with my CPL filter instead switching to an ND to take portraits a while back on a ski trip until I put it in an inner pocket for a while.

If you decide to take the plunge, I highly recommend the thumb grip and shutter extension button – it's the same same ergonomics package as for the X10.

I have no complaints with the quality of prints at 8x10 or 8x12 (and most likely higher with some work) and it seems to beat the pants off any camera from the 1/2.3" crowd. I am convinced the physical layout of its controls is nearly perfect for the way I like to shoot.

I chose the all black version, and have not noticed any difference in attention getting, or lack thereof, in bars compared to the chrome OMD.

My latest enjoyable discovery is that the hotshoe is compatible with generic Cannon OC3 sync cables, so using the Fuji EF-42 off camera with perfect TTL flash metering is dead easy. I attached a couple examples taken within minutes of trying this out. Other than my own lack of portraiture skills, I still have nothing to complain about after a month with the X20.

But how does the X100s sensor compare at low ISO with DP2m sensor in terms of image quality?

DP2M wins.

The Xtrans is a real nice sensor. But the Merrill punches with the D800 for acutance. It's just a different feel. That said, at normal print sizes, you won't see much difference.

A lot of people have asked me this, but I never did a side-by comparison bc the cameras are just SO different in their handling profile. The Fuji is a go-anywhere, shoot anything camera, the DP2M is basically a mini tech-camera.

My M9 was black, and my X100s is silver, and I actually think that the X100s being silver is an advantage on the street. With my black M9, when someone is at any distance, all they see is a nebulous, black blob in front of my face, which may as well be a small DSLR. With the X100s, people see it and think it's a 40 year old camera, and they don't take me seriously. I had a teenage girl holler at me from 30 feet the other day, because she wanted to see my old "film camera." She was shocked that it was brand new.

Don't laugh. Initial anecdotal data suggests that the silver X100s is a superior girl-meeting tool than a black X100. I kid you not. A friend of mine has gotten chatted-up more with this camera than even his Leica. Though the Leica attracts a higher calibre of women

- N.

ps. 1. I can't believe how many people took that part of the review WAY too seriously.

ps. 2. I also wouldn't mind silver if it were, indeed, metal and not paint.

Don't laugh. Initial anecdotal data suggests that the silver X100s is a superior girl-meeting tool than a black X100. I kid you not. A friend of mine has gotten chatted-up more with this camera than even his Leica. Though the Leica attracts a higher calibre of women

- N.

ps. 1. I can't believe how many people took that part of the review WAY too seriously.

ps. 2. I also wouldn't mind silver if it were, indeed, metal and not paint.

Ha! I'm not sure any calibre of woman has noticed my M9.

On a more serious note, it's the files of the X100s that I still have yet to warm up to. LR 4.4 still creates wacky, painterly effects in areas of fine detail on occasion, like foliage. Aperture, as well as some of the other converters, seems to solve this, but at the expense of weird areas of purple/green artifacts and little white dots. There needs to be a lot more work on the raw conversion end for X-trans (and the camera jpegs, too, as they look similar to LR 4.4)